Beet topper



June 9,1925. 1,541,158

. .1. w. LITTLE BEET TOPPER Filed Feb. 24, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 mm, MM

imWJz'iZZe Roma June 9, 1925.

J. w. LITTLE BEET TOBPER Filed Feb. 24, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N MN w m m June 9, 1925. 154L158 J. w, LITTLE BEET TOPPER FiIed Feb. 24, 1-922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 9,1925.

"UNITED, STATES JOHN. W. LITTLE,. F MCCOOK, NEBRASKA.

BEET Terran.

Application filed February 24, 1-922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WV. LITTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at McCook, in the county of Redwillow and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet Toppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to harvesters and particularly to those of a type adapted to the topping of certain vegetables such as sugar beets.

The primary object of the invention is to generally improve the construction and operation of the machine by providing cutting means automatically adjusted, by the beet or object to be cut, to the proper height for topping and by retaining the cutting mechanism in position to complete the topping out before being shifted to a higher or lower level.

An additional object is to provide a beet topping machine in which the topping mechanism is preceded by a pilot or gauge, traveling in advance of the cutting knives and movable by the beet or other object to be cut, said gauge being connected by levers to the cutting knives for raising same to the proper height with the object to. be topped. I

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved beet topper.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethru as taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear end view of the machine.

Figure at is a vertical cross section thru the frame thereof as indicated by line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail of anisni, and

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view of the cutting knives.

The machine embodies a frame 10 mounted 011 an axle 11 which is supported by wheels 12. Rotating with the axle is a gear 13 which drives gear 14 thru the medium of pinion 15. A sprocket 16 mounted on a shaft which is geared to member 14, propels sprocket chain 17 that cros es ver idler 18 and sprocket 1.9.

the cutting mechseriaiNo. 538,982.

Sprocket 19 is mounted at one end of shaft 20, supported in suitable hangers 21 depending from the frame of the machine,

The topping mechanism embodies a stationary saw-tooth knifei23 and a movable knife 2% of similar construction,connected by slotted guides 25. Knife 24 is joined at 26 to the pitman for reciprocation longitudinally of stationary knife 23 when the machine is in motion and to facilitate the cutting or shearing action of the knives, each of the latter is beveled on its outer side to its teeth, as seen in Figure 6. Guides are integral with cutter frame 27 which slides in vertical guides'28 depending from the frame of the machine as shown.

In the harvesting of sugar beets it is important that the tops and crowns be cut and separated from the beet at the base of the,

crown, which varies according to the height the beet projects above the ground. In the present invention this is accomplished by'a gauge 29v carried by a rocker frame 30 which is pivoted to frame 10 as at 31. This gauge consists of three rolling colters mounted on a shaft and so spaced as to cut or sink into or through the beet top to the crown. The rocker frame is composed of two U-shaped side members suitably connected by cross braces so as to move as a unit. Fastened to frame 10 and extending up over rocker 30 is a yoke 32 from which depends a spring 33 attached at 34 to the rocker for resiliently supporting the same.

At its upper end each U-shaped member of the rocker is connected by a link 35 to a lifting lever Each lifting lever 36 is pivoted to the frame of the machine at a point rearwardly of the guides 28, as shown at 37, and is connected by a chain 38 to the lower end of cutter frame 27. When these levers, of which there are two, are swung upwardly about their pivots, the cutter frame is adjustedupwardly in its guides, and when thelevers are lowered the cutter fraine slides downwardly in the guides.

This adjustment is automatically effected when gauge 29 is moved upwardly by the beet or other object engaged thereby since the tilting of the rocker on its pivot adjusts the cutter frame vertically thru the leverage provided by elements and 36.

Hence, it will be seen that the cutting mechanism may be shifted either to. a higher or lower level according to the height'thebeets project above the ground.

The leverage thus provided is sufficient to not only raise the cutting knives to the proper contact withthe object to be topped but also to retain that contact-until the topping cut is. completed-1 before engaging or shifting. theknives. to another position.

Toenablethe operator. to raise the entire 1necl1anism oil,tl1e-grourid when leaving the field, a manually-operated lift is provided and consists of a crank shaft 89 rotatably mounted in bearings 40 of the frame and connected by link 41, to a lever 42. This lever is pivoted, to a bracket 43 and provided with a catch 44 engageable in the notches of, the ratchet to lock the lever in any adjusted position,

Projecting outwardly from shaft 39 approximately at right angles to the crank thereof; isa lug 4 5 to which is fastened an extension 45. Connected to the end of the extensioirisa chain 47 which fastens tocrossbrace l8 of rocker- 30, This chain tilts the rocker; upwardly when lever 42 is drawn backto raise the mechanism off the ground. The chain also provides a flexibleconnection betweenthe rocker fraineand the manuallyoperated lift of suflicient laxness. to permit the automatic tilting of the rocker frame by movementofc the gauge independently of and without interference from the manuallyoperated lift, 7

It will thus be seen that during the operation ofjthe machine the cutting knives severthe tops and crowns from the beets when brought in contact with the latter and that "proper contact is insured by the movement gauge and leverage means which shift the cutting mechanism to the proper height.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and operation ofthe machine can be readily understood, and that further description is deemed unnecessary.

\Vhat is claimed is:-

1 A beet topper including a supporting frame presenting vertical guides, a cutter mechanism slidable in said vertical-guides, a rocker pivoted-to the supporting frame in advance ofthe cutter mechanism, a gauge whe-clinounted at theloive'r end of the rocker, a lever having one end pivoted to the supporting frame and its other end pivotall y connected. with-htheupper end of the said rocker, and means connecting the said lever with the lower end of the said cutter mechanism,

2. A beettopper including a main frame presenting vertical guides, a cutter frame slidably positioned within the said guides, a cutter; at the lower end of the said cutter frame, a; rocker frame pivoted to the .main

frame in advance of'the said uides colters l i b 7 I at the lower, endof the rockerframe lifting levers pivoted, t'o;t he nain frame, rearwardly of the said guides, links pivotally connecting the said levers with the. upper end of the saidrocker frame, and chains connecting the saidlifting levers to opposite lower ends of the cutter frame. Y

A beet topper including a main frame presenting vertical guides, a cutter frame slidable invthe said, guides, a rocker pivoted to the main framefin advance of the said guides and presenting a U-shapedmember,

a.- gauge wheel, at, one terminal of the U- shaped inemb-eiga lifting lever having one end pivoted to} the main frame at apoint rearwardly of the said guides and having its other end pivotaly connected to the opposite terminal; of the U-shaped member whereby israised and lowered by the increment of the said roc-ker, and lifting chainsconnecting the lower end. of the cutterframewitlr the saidlever.

dark, beettop pcr including a main frame presenting vertical guides, a cutter frame slidable in the said guides,'a U-shaped roclrer pivoted to the main frame in advance of JOHN W. LrrrLn. 

